Personal Testimony - God's Provision

Whilst chatting to a friend the other day, I was talking about sharing some more 'personal' blogs, so I thought I'd start with this testimony (especially as I have 'mission' on my heart at the moment!):

In July 2000, I found myself in Birmingham at the CfaN (Reinhard Bonnke) Fire Conference.

Anyway, whilst there - in the majority of meetings, they showed a short clip of some of the crusades in Africa.

Now I'm not a person that cries a lot (I didn't say I never cry) - I just think life is too exciting! However, every time I saw the videos, tears fell down my face (which was very unusual for me) - and I had to ask "Lord - what are you doing?" During the conference, they invited people to join them in November that year, for the largest crusade ever - in Lagos, Nigeria. So, I picked up a leaflet, took it home, and said to my Pastor "I think I'm meant to go to Nigeria! - but if I'm going, I want to go debt free." I didn't know how/why etc - I just KNEW that I was supposed to go - and somehow believed God for £1,500.

A couple of weeks later (before I'd even sent off the form) - I received a cheque through the internal mail at work - for £500 towards the cost of the trip (as I was going with a Registered Charity etc - and we had a Charity fund at work, which helped individuals with some things like this)! This amazed me (and my Boss at the time)....and before long, I had loads of people (a lot of non-Christians too) coming up to me, and giving me money towards my trip!

Now don't get me wrong, it wasn't that I didn't trust God for the money - but I'd never had this kind of experience before. I've always believed in tithing and giving - but this was the first time that (financially) I saw provision like this in my own life.

A week before I was due to go, I was £100 short of the £1,500 - but, I thought in comparison '£100 isn't that much really'. So, I was amazed when someone put a cheque in the Church offering (made out specifically for 'Penny's Nigeria trip') which not only covered the balance, but also the injections etc - and all the other 'little' things that went with it.

So - in November 2000, I went with 20 or so other like-minded individuals, to Lagos, Nigeria. What I experienced there, was something truly awesome. A field (75 acres) filled with 1.6 million people - who had all come to hear the gospel. Then, in the mornings, the Fire Conference was held - with 80,000 Pastors and Church Leaders filling the Lagos Stadium.

Words will never really be able to describe what it was like to be there. To watch a short video clip, click here.